THOUSANDS of migrants from Afghanistan now living in Cumberland were distressed at the horrific scenes of people trying to board planes out of the country as the Taliban swept into the nation’s capital Kabul after the government collapsed last week.
Seizing control of the country when the USA and Australia ended their military combat mission after 20 years, the Taliban was quick to say there would be no reprisals and they would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.
But not everyone is convinced.
More than 6,000 migrants from Afghanistan now call Cumberland home, including Merrylands resident Muhadissa Haidari, a Hazara refugee who arrived here in 2013.
Studying at Western Sydney University for a Bachelor of Business and a multicultural support worker at the Community Migrant Resource Centre, Muhadissa has aunts, uncles and cousins “trapped” in Kabul.
“It’s very scary and they would love to leave but there are no flights out and roads are guarded,” she said.
“My mother is unwell and we have been keeping the news from her but she senses all is not well with her brother.
“When my sister and I were able to speak to our family there, they said the Taliban was taking over everything but now we can’t even reach them on the phone or over the internet.
“It’s a very hard time for us all.”
